The Practice of Piety

How might I in respect of mine own unworthiness, cry out for fear at the sight of thy holy Sacrament, as the Philistims did,¹ when they saw the Ark of God come into the assembly. Woe now unto me a sinner; But that thy Angel doth comfort me, as he did the women. Fear thou not, ²for I know that thou seekest Jesus which was crucified. It is thou indeed that my soul seeketh after. And here thou offerest thy self unto me in thy blessed Sacrament. If therefore ELIZABETH thought her self so much honoured at thy presence, ³in the womb of thy blessed mother ⟨p. 758⟩that the babe sprang in her belly for joy; how should my soul leap within me for joy, now that thou comest by thy holy Sacrament, to dwell in my heart for ever? Oh what an honour is this that not the mother of my Lord, but my Lord himself should come thus to visit me? Indeed, Lord, I confess with the faithful Centurion; that I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof:⁴ and that if thou didst but speak the word only, my soul should be saved. Yet seeing it hath pleased the riches of thy grace for the better strengthening of my weakness; to seal thy mercy unto me by thy visible sign, as well as by thy visible ⟨p. 759⟩word. In all thankful humility my soul speaks unto thee with the blessed Virgin. Behold the handmaid of the Lord, ⁵be it unto me according to thy word. Knock thou, Lord, by thy word and Sacraments at the door of my heart, and I will like the Publican with both my fists knock at my breast, as fast as I can that thou mayest enter in: and if the door will not open fast enough; break it open, O Lord, by thine Almighty power, and then enter in and dwell there for ever: that I may have cause with Zacheus to acknowledge that this day salvation is come into my house. ⁶